lefty shooting right handed flintgun

[jason freer]

hello everyone i was hoping that someone here could set me straight on something.I m looking at purchasing a righthanded flintlock and with me being a lefty will this be an issue or not.I live up in Canada and full stocked flint locks in L. H are near impossable to find. thanks Jay

 

[rabjr]

No, I have a couple of friends who are leftys and shoot and have shot right handed flinters for years. Just be mindful of the vent and where your arm is when you shoot.

 

[Macon Due]

Good luck Jason. I had a couple of right handed flintlocks [I shoot left handed] and while I could shoot great from bench or kneeling with wiping rod rest ,offhand I couldn't hit anything. When the pan went off right in my face...I flinched every time!
Macon

 

[JV Puleo]

I'm left handed and have always shot right handed original guns... there are virtually no left-handed originals* which also means that leftys shooting right handed guns must have been the case in the past as well. They had the same proportion of left handed people then as we do now.

(I just saw my 2nd original left handed fowler about a month ago... never a rifle)

 

[Ray-Vigo]

My own theory is that very, very few shooters shot lefty, unless medically necessitated. Up until the early part of the 20th century it was unacceptable to be "lefty" in virtually all important parts of everyday life. The few original lefty guns, if I had to guess, were for people who perhaps had gone blind in the right eye, or had lost dexterity in their right hands, forcing them left handed because there was no choice. My guess is that virtually all natural left handers shot like a right hander would have, partly because that is how they learned, and partly because "right was right and left was wrong". Lefty locks and parts probably were much harder to come by as well, further urging lefties to become righties.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Flash? No way, you shouldn't be looking towards the pan anyway, regardless of which side of the stock it is on.

Safety? No concern for me, never has been, but I am an eyeglass wearer all the time. I've never received any 'hits' of anything to my glasses anyway.

Cast? Now, no one else mentioned it, but ... a stock with cast designed for a righty could make it uncomfortable to shoot. I have a RH fowler with no discernible cast and it fits me, as a lefty, as if it was made for me.

3 of my flints are righties and I shoot them with zero issues.

 

[ike]

Lyman makes a left handed flint lock rifle for $450.00 to $525.00. Check out Track of the Wolf, in Elk River MN. Google Track of the Wolf and you will see it. It has some left handed flint guns on it. Also check out The Gun Works located in Origan. Again google The Gun Works. He had some McCoy left hand rifles in different Calibers. He may have others on the list now. I do not know how much you are willing to spend. Just be prepared to pay for the one you really want. I was willing to go up to $1,200.00. I was looking for a left handed flint in a 36 or 40 cal. It took me a year but I found one a month ago. I did see one in the MLF Classifieds about 4 months ago so they come up here also. Put a request in the firearms wanted section. You can also check out gun broker and guns america for left handed flint locks. I hope this helps some.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

I am a LH shooter. And have shot alot of RH flint lock's in my life time. And yes it can be done. But there are times when it can cause a few problems. IMO it is best to find a way to purchase a LH rifle. You won't be sorry. And I have got flashed a couple of times in hunting situations with a RH FL. Only happened a couple of times. But it did happen. Tom.

 

[arkrivco]

Get a left handed gun! As was mentioned earlier Lyman makes left handed guns: Deerstalker and Plains rifle in both flint and percussion. Also, lefty TC guns are out there when they used to make them. Traditions also makes lefty guns; but, their flintlocks are questionable. Their percussion guns are just fine, however. Dixie gun works also sells left handed guns. You can also build a "parts set" as I did. This took a lot of time; but it was worth it. That way you have a lefty gun that you made and fits YOU!

arkrivco

 

[jason freer]

Thank s everyone you have given me quite a bit of information and I think that I am going to drop TVM a line and see if shipping to canada will be a problem uhoh! gotta go baby is waking up (home with the flu) take care all JAY

 

[Slash]

I am a lefty, too. I have shot right hand rifles left hand when I first started. I can shoot them, but not as well as my left handed rifle. I agree that I am not totally PC, but I enjoy shooting comfortably.
Slash

 

[Paul R]

Jason, For the best answer to your question about shipping sidelock guns into Canada;
1. Phone the federal firearms registration program. If you get an affirmative answer,and you should, get the persons name, title, and contact phone #. Hang on to it.
2. Phone Canada Customs and ask the same question. You should get the same affirmative answer. If you do, get the persons name, title, & contact phone number. Hang on to this one too.

Most of the time there will be no problem getting a muzzleloader accross the border. Some times a rookie or someone with a burr under their saddle will do their best to be difficult. The names above will be the people you can name-drop if you have difficulty getting a muzzleloader into Canada.

If you are getting a percussion rifle,(long gun) you will need to have a PAL. It will have to be registered.

A flintlock rifle (longgun) is less of a problem. I'm not sure about the PAL requirement, but it does not need to be registered.

Notice, I only mentioned long guns. Pistols of any kind are restricted & really aren't worth the hassle.

Most of the dealers in the US will be used to shipping to Canada, & will know what has to be done.

Paul

P.S. Those of you who live in the states, please, save your breath. I'm fully aware of what draconion rules we live under, up here, but it is the law & fairly easy to live with. Perhaps, eventually, more reasonable heads will prevail and this law will go away.

 

[rabjr]

My uncle only has to fill out some paper work and sho the gun at the border when he takes a flinter to New Brunswick for bear hunting. Shouldn't be that bad to have one shipped up there??

 

[Paul R]

Generally, you are right. A year ago I was bringing a GM drop-in with me, returning from a trip to the states. I declared it, of course, and the young officer wanted me to waste the time of taking it inside to somebody who 'knew more'. I dropped the two names and titles & it was "Well, I guess you've done your homework. Go ahead sir and have a nice day."

Crossing the border can be a crap-shoot. It all depends who you get and what kind of a day they've had.

Paul

 

[Slash]

I ship to Canada fairly often with no problems as long as it is flintlock. I spoke with a mountie at the border years ago and was told to list it as an antique reproduction flintlock and so far it has worked.
Slash

 

[Rocky Johnson]

[email protected] Jim made me a left handed flintlock rifle. He sells kits also.

 

[bilder]

I am a lefty as well and have been curious about possible blow back in the face.

I do not have much cash to spend, so I will probably pick up a cheap righty for starters as they are easier to find.

Will pick up a left handed rifle once I manage to hide enough cash from the wife and kids.

 

[bkb0157]

I started shooting flintlocks in the late 70s and all that was out there was right handed then about 1992 I built a lefty now I have too many any don't have use for some of them, so any body looking let me know.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

I started shooting flintlocks in the late 70s and all that was out there was right handed then about 1992 I built a lefty now I have too many any don't have use for some of them, so any body looking let me know.

I am not sure where you shopped at in the 70's. I bought my first LH FL in 1974. And there were 3 other models in LH on the shelf when I chose the one I wanted. There were plenty of lefty FL's available in the 70's. I don't know about the 60's. Tom.

 

[tg]

Historicaly most leftys probably shot right hand guns as many do now, there were left hand locks judging from archeological exampes and double barreled guns, I susect those with money would have a lefty gun made and most others made do with what was common, A lot like it is done now.